Belgium has secured a quarter-final match against Spain after a memorable night in Seattle, marked by much more than just the game itself.
The Red Devils smoothly defeated co-hosts USA 4-1 in the last 16, but the events surrounding the match have sparked widespread discussion.
Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin revealed that the team was unsettled by occurrences leading up to the match but emphasized that they channeled these feelings into their performance.
“A lot has happened off the pitch over the last two days,” he commented. “There was a sense of injustice within the squad, and we were determined to respond on the field.”
Belgium’s captain, Youri Tielemans, resonated with this viewpoint, noting that the team made a resolution before the match began. “We told ourselves we had to respond on the pitch. That’s what we did,” he stated.
What exactly fueled the anger? USA forward Folarin Balogun was expected to miss the match due to a red card he received for a tackle on Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic in the prior round.
However, the Sunday before the match, Fifa delayed his automatic one-match suspension for 12 months, a move that triggered a backlash, with Uefa, Belgium, and England manager Thomas Tuchel voicing objections.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) expressed its shock at the decision and informed the United States Soccer Federation that it ‘contests the eligibility’ of Balogun participating in the game.
The RBFA’s appeal was dismissed as a Fifa committee deemed that Belgium wasn’t an interested party, considering they had no involvement in the initial red card ruling and were merely the next opponents of the USA.
Complicating matters, US President Donald Trump revealed on the Monday following that he personally requested Fifa to revisit the ban, stating that the suspension would have marred the tournament significantly.
“I think it [the suspension] would have left a big stain,” Trump remarked at the White House. “I can’t tell them what to do. I don’t believe they made the decision; I believe it was the commission that made the decision. And it was the right decision.”
Despite Balogun starting the game for the USA, Belgium dominated the match.
After Belgium scored their fourth goal, several players were seen mimicking the infamous ‘Trump dance’—a hip-swaying, arm-pumping move that gained popularity during the 2024 US presidential campaign.
The mockery continued online, with Belgium’s official Instagram sharing an image of striker Romelu Lukaku with a caption, ‘overturn this’.
Head coach Rudi Garcia revealed that Balogun approached him post-game for a conversation. “I really liked that. It’s not his fault, he’s not the one to blame and that’s what I told him,” Garcia shared.
When questioned about the affair’s impact on his team, Garcia kept it straightforward, emphasizing the importance of their strategy. “Regardless of the US starting line-up, what really mattered to us is our game plan,” he noted.
“The group is very mature. I told them what matters the most is us.”
Meanwhile, Tuchel expressed concern about the ruling, indicating it could set a problematic precedent for future tournaments. “Where to draw the line is the question that I ask,” he admitted. “I have no answer to that.”
To provide context on the rarity of Fifa’s action, out of 189 other red cards issued at this World Cup, only one player has ever evaded an automatic suspension, Brazil’s Garrincha, in 1962, before the automatic ban system was instituted.
UNILAD has contacted Fifa for comment.
Round of 16 – Match 93: Portugal vs Spain, 0-1
Round of 16 – Match 94: USA vs Belgium, 1-4
Round of 16 – Match 91: Brazil vs Norway, 1-2
Round of 16 – Match 92: Mexico vs England, 2-3
Round of 16 – Match 90: Canada vs Morocco, 0-3
Round of 16 – Match 89: Paraguay vs France, 0-1
Round of 32 – Match 88: Australia vs Egypt, 1-1 (2-4 on penalties)
Round of 32 – Match 86: Argentina vs Cabo Verde, 3-2
Round of 32 – Match 87: Colombia vs Ghana, 1-0
Round of 32 – Match 84: Spain vs Austria, 3-0
Round of 32 – Match 83: Portugal vs Croatia, 2-1
Round of 32 – Match 85: Switzerland vs Algeria, 2-0
Round of 32 – Match 80: England vs DR Congo, 2-1
Round of 32 – Match 82: Belgium vs Senegal, 3-2
Round of 32 – Match 81: USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, 2-0
Round of 32 – Match 78: Mexico vs Ecuador, 2-0
Round of 32 – Match 77: France vs Sweden, 3-0
Round of 32 – Match 79: Ivory Coast vs Norway, 2-1
Round of 32 – Match 76: Brazil vs Japan, 2-1
Round of 32 – Match 74: Germany vs Paraguay, 1-1 (4-3)
Round of 32 – Match 75: Netherlands vs Morocco, 1-1 (3-2)
Round of 32 – Match 73: South Africa vs Canada, 1-0
Group L: Panama vs England, 2-0
Group L: Croatia vs Ghana, 2-1
Group K: Colombia vs Portugal, 0-0
Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, 3-1
Group J: Algeria vs Austria, 3-3
Group J: Jordan vs Argentina, 3-1